With around 300 students having chosen to defer their final exams, Rhodes University will open a week later than usual in 2017 and has introduced online registration to make the process easier.
With around 300 students having chosen to defer their final exams, Rhodes University will open a week later than usual in 2017 and has introduced online registration to make the process easier.
Following the #FeesMustFall protests at the end of last year, Rhodes University is one of the few universities in South Africa which successfully completed the full 2016 academic year, including the year-end exams for nearly all courses, according to a media release from the University.
According to the University, 300 students chose to defer their examinations to January of this year.
These will begin on 23 January, with the last exams on 10 February 2017, resulting in the academic year starting a week later than initially planned.
“The University is committed to a successful 2017 academic year concentrating on its core business of teaching and learning, research and community engagement. Much preparation has gone into this and the University is ready to welcome new and returning students,” said Vice Chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela.
“Challenges will have to be faced, as the fees issue has not been resolved nationally and the financial viability of individual institutions, including Rhodes, is still at risk," Mabizela said.
He said the universities had sought to mitigate these challenges by revising their approach to finance and registration.
New approaches had also been required due to two external developments: the Department of Higher Education’s fee grant to ‘the missing middle’ and the new ‘student centred’ National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) model
To facilitate a quicker and more convenient registration process, students may register online, communications manager Veliswa Mhlope said in the media release.
"A registration fee is payable in order to register for the academic year, except for NSFAS-supported students and students from the ‘missing middle’.
These are students whose family income is less than R600 000 a year. These students have been asked to complete applications for a special dispensation.
"Rhodes University is committed to ensuring that no academically deserving but financially needy students are prevented from studying at the institution. To this end, a wide range of scholarships, awards and loans are available," Mhlope said.
"Due to the fact that the NSFAS funding is not sufficient for the actual costs of study including tuition and accommodation, Rhodes offers all NSFAS qualifying students ‘top-up’ funding.
"Although late applications may be considered, admissions for 2017 have been concluded," Mhlope said.
